Clutch



E. S. FAIRBANKS.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. 191B.

,3 1 9,46 5., Patent-ed Oct. 21, 1919.

' 2 SHEEi'S-SHEETI.

' E. s. FAIRBANKS.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1918.

Patented Oct. 21, .1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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Application filed-June 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ERNEST S. FAIRBANKS, aecitizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Greenfield, Franklin coimty, Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to friction clutches of the typecomprising acontractileand expansible ring disposed inside the rim of a loosepulley, which ring is adapted through suitable means to be placed inengagement with such pulley so that the latter will rotate with theshaft carrying the contractile and expansible ring.

1 My present inventionis in the nature of improvements upon thestructure disclosed in my Patent 1,186,301, June 6, 1916;-and the objectof my present invention is .to in- 'creasethe amount of contact betweenthe ring and the surface of the pulley whereby .a greater elliciencyinoperation maybe secured, and on the other hand nsurlnglevenness .ofwear.

A further object of nay invention is to provide means whereby the ringconstitutes a substantially floating member free to engage the walls ofthe pulley at substantially the same pressure at all points.

A further feature of my invention is to provide astructure that may bereadily applied to line shafting already set up, or to any other type ofshafting when the latter is installed.

These and other features of my invention are more fully describedhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanyingdravw ings, inwhich:

Figure 1, is a face view of my improved clutch.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view on the line IIII, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified arrangementwithin the scope oflmy invention, and

Figs. #1 and 5, areviews similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating afurther modification within the scope of my invention.

i In the drawin s 1 re resents a lineor counter-shaft, having a pulley 2loose thereon; and3 representsa hub keyed or other- Wise secured to androtating with the shaft 1. Disposed within the rim of the pulley andmounted so as to be out of contact there- Specification of LettersPatent.

pulley flange,

ivmzsseo rnsnrrs, ASSIGNOR To STANDARD PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION orPENN- CLUTCH.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919. ;Serial No. 241,177.

with when not in action, is a ring l forming the clutching member; whichring is operatlvely connected to the hub 3 and is provided with meanshereinafter described whereby it may be expanded into engagement withthe flange 5 of the pulley.

The hub carries a lever 6 disposed between suitable ear pieces 6" andpivotally mounted 011a pin 6' carried by said ear pieces, and such levercoacts with a conical sliding collar 6 ofa typecommonly employed as theactuating device of clutches.

Carried by the ring is a yoke-shaped member 7 connected tothe ring 7,and having arms 7 which,,in the form of structure illustrated in Figs. 1and 2, are disposed opposite apertured projections 8 carried by theVberbypins 10; :the opposite ends of said pins 9 having heads or washers11 in engagenient with springs 12 which are preferably-disposed in.sockets 13 'formed in the apertured members 8. These springs, when thering is expanded into contact with the are under tension, and whenthe'ring is released they serve to holdthe same out of contact with saidpulley flange. Oppositely disposed with respect to the yoke member 7 isa yoke member 15 having arms 16; the endsof which are connected at 17 tolinks 18, whose opposite ends are secured at 19 to the free ends of thering.

"The arms'of the yoke 15 are preferably reduced in thickness so as torender them resilient and deflectable one relatively to the other andboth relatively to their connecting portion 20 which is engaged by thelever '6 for operating the clutch ring ithrough coaction-with theeonically sliding collar 6. In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, the

hub is split'andconnected together by bolts similar to the structureillustrated in Figs.

1 and 2, excepting that their relation is re versed, and the springs areadapted to sockets in said yoke .member.

In order to take up wear which may occur upon the inner surface of thepulley or the outer surface of the split ring, in the form' "the splitring.

1, 2 and 3.

ring, hub and yoke member 7, shown in Figs. 1, 2

- sary,to cut the connection and hub, and the space clutch ring,

hub, ing drawings, is such that the structure proof structure shown inFigs. 1,2 and 3 the yoke member 15 is provided with a screw 22 havingthreaded engagement with one of the arms 16 and having its end arrangedto crowd or bear against the other arm 16 so that after such wearoccurring between the engaging surfaces of the clutch rin and pulleyflange, inward movement 0 said screw will increase the separation of thearms of the yoke member and thereby increase the normal diameter of thesplit ring.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a further modification .in which theconnection between the clutch hub and the clutch ring is slightlydifferent from the structures illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In thestructure shown in Figs. 4: and 5, a single post connection is employed;the clutch ring carry- 0 a projection or boss 25 recessed to re- 111 ceive the head of'a bolt 9 which is pinned at 10 to the hub, with a spring12 interposed between the head of'said bolt and the socket or recess 13in the boss carried by The free ends of the split ringareconnectedtogether by an element 15 withinterposed links 18*, and said member hasa split portion'with a conical seat 26 for the reception of a conicalsleeve 27'; a screw28 being employed todraw up said sleeve so as toregulate. the extent of opening of the split portion. of the yoke member15. in'order that proper positioning of the flange of In other respects,the Figs. 4: and 5, is substantially like the structure shown in Figs.If desired, a roller bearing may be employed with the pulley; the samebeing inclosed within a. case 29.

' In manufacturing the improved structure forming the subject of myinvention, the of the form and 3, as well as the boss. hub and ring ofthe structure shown in Figs. .4 and 5, are preferably cast in one piece.For operative purposes, it is necesbetween the yoke formed by suchcutting operation is 'filled in with washers 30, as illustrated in theseveral views. addition, the part illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3,and preferably cast with the fore the ring isfinished for application tothe pulley. V 7

It will be'understood, therefore, that the several forms ofspring-supported connec tionsbetween the clutch ring proper and the andas illustrated in the accompanyvides what may be termed a floatingclutch ring; positive in its action, and engaging substantially theentire surface of the flange of the pulley flange of I the same,

is subsequently broken out beand one that is capable of being readilythrown out of action so as to be supported by its hub entirely clearofsuch pulley surface.

It will be understood, of course, that.

wish to be limited to the constructions disprojection diametricallyopposite the split portion of the same, a hub, and a resilientconnection between the lateral projection of the split ring and saidhub.V

2. In a clutch, the combination ofza pulley, split ring for engagementwithone means forexpanding said split ring; said projectiondiametrically opposite the split portion of the same, a hub, a resilientconsaid split ring and the'hub, and a resilient -0r flexible connectionbetweenthe free ends he combination of a puling the free ends of thering, a hub, means carried thereby for expanding said split r ng, alateral projection carried by saidringopposlte the split portionthereof, and

a spring connection between said projection and the hub and member,

5. In a clutch, the combination of a pulley, a split ring for engagementwith a flange of the same, a hub, a tension member,

disposed opposite said yoke links connecting said tension member withthe free ends of the split ring, a lever pivotally connected to, the huband adapted to engage said tension member to expand the split ring, alateral projection carried by saidring opposite the split portionthereof,

anda resilient connection between said proect on and the hub.

6. In a clutch, the combination of 'a pul-' for engagement with onesplit portion thereof, and

closed; desiring to claim broadly any conring having a lateralelection.hetween'the lateral projection of ley, a split ring forengagement with a flange of the same, a tension member, links connectingsaid tension member with the free ends of the split ring, a split hub,means connecting the same together, a lever pivotally connected to oneportion of the hub and adapted to engage said tension member to expandthe split ring, a lateral projection carried by said ring opposite thesplit portion thereof, and a resilient connection between saidprojection and the hub.

7. In a clutch, the combination of a pulley, a split ring for engagementwith a flange of the same, a hub, a tension member, links connectingsaid tension member with the free ends of the split ring, a leverpivotally connected to the hub and adapted to engage said tension memberto expand the split ring and projecting laterally beyond the plane ofthe pulley, a yoke member car ried by the ring, and springs connectingsaid yoke member and the hub.

8. The combination, in a friction clutch, of a shaft having a loosepulley thereon, a hub fixed on the shaft adjacent the pulley, a splitclutch ring positioned inside the pulley rim, a lever pivoted to saidhub, resilient or flexible means connecting the free ends of the splitring including a yoke mem- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for herin operative engagement with said lever, means for adjusting theposition of the arms of said yoke member with respect to each other, ayoke arm connected to the ring opposite said yoke member; said yoke armprojecting laterally at the side of the clutch ring outside the plane ofthe pulley flange, and a flexible connection between said laterallyprojecting yoke arm and the hub.

9. The combination, in a friction clutch, of a shaft having a loosepulley thereon, a hub fixed on the shaft adjacent the pulley, a splitclutch ring positioned inside the pulley rim, a lever pivoted to saidhub, a pair of toggle links connected to the free ends of the splitring, a yoke member connected to said toggle links and in operativeengagement with said lever, means for adjusting the position of the armsof said yoke memher with respect to each other, a laterally projectingyoke arm connected to the ring opposite said yoke member, a boltconnecting said projectingyoke arm with the hub, and a spring inoperative engagement with said bolt and forming a flexible connectionbetween said projecting yoke arm and the hub.

ERNEST 'S. FAIRBANKS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

